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could
benefit from simply giving more consideration to stress,
how it works in and on them and how they can adopt habits
which minimise harmful effects of excessive stress and
make creative and positive use of it. A significant
proportion have more severe problems with stress that
need to be addressed more urgently in one-to-one work
with a therapist.
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range
from excessive tiredness, lack of energy, loss of appetite,
sleeping problems, high blood pressure, physical symptoms
of various kinds including muscle cramps, cold sweats
and tingling in fingers and toes to uncontrolled weeping,
full blown panic attacks and depression.
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Whilst few people experience all of these symptoms |
it is common for one or more of
them to be present when stress is beginning to present
serious challenges. Where severe and alarming physical
symptoms accompany stress, we advise taking medical
advice. However, many stress symptoms can very quickly
be relieved through the intelligent approaches used
at the centre without the use of drugs and with no side
effects.
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Strategies we use include |
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• A
general approach to stress education:
The first level of intervention is in providing
information about how stress works and some basic
de-stressing techniques including relaxation,
breathing and physical exercises, combined with
simple guided imagery.
• Intelligent Stress Counselling:
The therapist will ask questions about how stress
works for you and will build a clear feeling and
understanding of how you can work with it to reduce
its more harmful effects.
• Past
& Future Focus: Full account will
be taken of past experiences contributing to stress
and basic needs not currently being met. However,
iit is normal for attention to be present and
future oriented much of the time. You are free
to tell as much or as little of the history of
your concern as you feel will be appropriate.
•
Guided
visualizations and various kinds of metaphor
help you to change unconscious patterns and to
consciously establish more positive ways to make
good and effective use of unavoidable stress.
• Needs audit:
New understandings of the full pattern of human
needs provides powerful and extremely useful
knowledge for stress management. Current ways
of meeting needs are audited and more comprehensive
patterns developed.
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Many
people report considerable change after just one session.
In general, we recommend a course of three sessions
where the stress is not associated with other problems
needing to be addressed simultaneously. Some clients
like to take a course of 5 or 6 stress reduction coaching
sessions spread over a year to six months.
In
some (rarer) cases, treatment may be available through
the National Health. We have an NHS Independent Service
Provider number for this eventuality, though this
will very much depend on the policy of practices,
specialists etc.
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How will I know it’s working? |
Some
stress relief can be dramatic and obvious whilst other
effects are more subtle. The therapist will encourage
you to observe and amplify change and to use conscious
techniques and strategies for stress control and management.
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